Denix Mausers in the UK

[Country Paul]

I ordered a new Denix Mauser today ready for Boba Debt's upcoming ESB parts run

whilst I've been pretty lucky getting hold of Mausers for my Blaster builds finding them here in the UK isn't always that easy

I've got a few from members here (in Europe & the UK) & a couple off eBay but I've also ordered. Few online

I've seen them on Amazon from time & I know Soldier of fortune & other places have them at a decent price but you can only buy if you're a reenactor

when I've ordered it's been from Relics, they're not cheap but they're the only reliable source I've found that anyone can buy from

they send them with yellow tape on to comply with the law & instructions to leave on or paint a bright colour yourself

when I spoke to them today they said that the only importer of Denix Mausers in the UK (that they know of) may be stopping importing them altogether along with a number of other models as they're not a big enough seller so they may be about to become harder to find here,

he said that he was trying to convince them to not drop the Mauser

I have no idea how true this is & was wandering if anyone else had heard this?

I know that we have the Boba Debt ESB run & Solo Hold's GK run coming up soon & I imagine that there may be a few of us in the UK who will be needing Denix's so I hope we don't have a Denix Draught.

 

[MacBeath]

I got mine from Graham Currie Militaria - came with the upper section painted red, but arrived within 2 days of ordering.

 

[OdiWan72]

Don´t worry man, if all goes down the drain drop your german prop-buddy an email and I´ll source you the Denix C96´s
And this time I would use another -easier to remove- paint, promised

Markus

 

[Country Paul]

Thanks Markus you are a gentleman

my collection owes a lot to your continued help, I appreciate the offer

but yeah that blue paint was a hell of a job to get off :lol

Whenever I see a parts run on here my first thought is always am I going to be able to source a Denix?

From my experience they've been expensive here but at least I've known I can get one if needed in the past.

 

[Zoltar]

Country Paul
Have you successfully imported a brightly painted Denix? I've been in touch with Markus regarding shipping denix's into the UK and decided not to give it a go.
While trying to find out exactly what's legal I found a copy of the "Border Force Operations Manual Customs Guidance - Realistic Imitation Firearms" and the most promising part of it stated:

The following are specifically deemed not to be realistic imitation firearms:
• realistic imitations of pre-1870 firearms;
• deactivated firearms
• antique imitations;
• any imitation firearm that is smaller than a height of 38 millimetres and
a length of 70 millimetres;
• any imitation firearm that is transparent or its predominant (more than
50%) colour is any one of the following:
bright red;
bright orange;
bright yellow;
bright green;
bright pink;
bright purple; or
bright blue.

And of course I have no intention of removing the applied brightly coloured paint once it's in the UK!

ZOLTAR

 

[OdiWan72]

Country Paul
Have you successfully imported a brightly painted Denix? I've been in touch with Markus regarding shipping denix's into the UK and decided not to give it a go.
While trying to find out exactly what's legal I found a copy of the "Border Force Operations Manual Customs Guidance - Realistic Imitation Firearms" and the most promising part of it stated:

The following are specifically deemed not to be realistic imitation firearms:
• realistic imitations of pre-1870 firearms;
• deactivated firearms
• antique imitations;
• any imitation firearm that is smaller than a height of 38 millimetres and
a length of 70 millimetres;
• any imitation firearm that is transparent or its predominant (more than
50%) colour is any one of the following:
bright red;
bright orange;
bright yellow;
bright green;
bright pink;
bright purple; or
bright blue.

And of course I have no intention of removing the applied brightly coloured paint once it's in the UK!

ZOLTAR

You´ve been in contact with ME (or another Markus)?!...can´t remember that we discussed this topic at all. :confused

Markus

 

[Zoltar]

My apologies Markus.

I was thinking of a compatriot of yours and discussing importing Denix's from Germany.
In fact I thought he'd sold me a Hengstler counter and a few other blaster bits a couple of years ago but actually I'm sure that was you!
Sorry for the confusion.

ZOLTAR

 

[hansolo2504]

Never been able to find a Denix mauser here that hasn't required a licence or membership to a reenactment group

 

[KaanE]

I wish I could ship them to you... These are created just at the street next to me...

 

[hansolo2504]

I wish I could ship them to you... These are created just at the street next to me...

Is it actually illegal to ship them? Probably sounds stupid but there must be a way around it. Like dismantling them or painting them bright orange like our BB guns are? Pretty cool that they're made near where you live! Must be great if you're thinking of making a few

 

[KaanE]

I wouldn't have a problem sending these there. There are two problems though... They only sell to companies, but maybe with a bulck shop the consider selling to us, and also, I think there is no way UK accepts replica weapons through customs...

 

[Country Paul]

Never been able to find a Denix mauser here that hasn't required a licence or membership to a reenactment group

I have been able to buy them here in the UK in the past online from Relics

if your not a member of a reenactment group etc they ship it to you wrapped in brightly coloured tape (with an instruction not to remove it or to repaint in similar bright colours)

they're not cheap with postage they're around £100 but so far I've never found anywhere else to buy them

the problem is he's not sure how much longer the UK importer will be getting them for as I don't think they're the biggest seller :cry

I've seen them for as little as £45 online but only for sale to reenactors etc. as you say

I've also seen them on Amazon from time to time for about £60 they purport to ship from Germany but I've never felt confident enough to order :lol

I've noticed a few online shops will now paint replicas two tone for you but not found any that do denix's

As far as I can tell providing that it was at least 50% brightly painted they would be ok to import

 

[KaanE]

I can buy and paint them if needed. Maybe if bought in group we could get a discount...? Only if you're sure these can be imported if painted.

 

[Country Paul]

I can buy and paint them if needed. Maybe if bought in group we could get a discount...? Only if you're sure these can be imported if painted.

Unfortunatley I'm not 100% sure regards the law & exactly what can & can't be imported,

I'm no expert on the subject, it's one of the reasons I try to buy in the UK where possible

 

[JOATRASH FX]

If a bunch of the prop replica folks in the UK would band together to solve this, it would be a non-problem. You could quite likely find a way around the law by using the "defenses" that are in place for the VCRA. For a while, I was possibly going to relocate to England and I started thinking of ways that I could bring my stuff with me.

Just off the top of my head:

- Start an online museum/gallery with membership that is open for public viewing. You have to pay ten quid a year to be a member and contribute at least one photo of stuff you acquire, taken against a white backdrop. (The law doesn't say it has to be a physical location that you can visit!)

- Start a "film reenactment group" and participate in some way at one nearby con per year. You could probably spin the idea that reenacting the filming of Star Wars is of historical significance.

- Join a UKARA-registered Airsoft group, show up for the minimum required meets. If you don't want to skirmish, just hang around and help out for the day.

- Start making the odd fan film. The law doesn't say you have to be Warner Brothers to be exempt.

Websites are free (and fairly easy) to set up these days, as are forums. Make up a printable "membership card" that folks can have laminated and prove you are legit. The wording of the defenses were rather vague as I recall (it's been a couple years since I read it) so use that to your advantage. The law was passed as a knee-jerk reaction to show proactive action towards crime. They probably don't really give a crap about scifi nerds like us. How would it look in the local newspaper: "Local science fiction fans arrested for violating gun laws with futuristic laser pistol".

I'm just sayin' that there ARE options out there if UK fans just get together and organize a bit. : )

 

[Zoltar]

Here's the full customs document I found a while back, I'm down to my last two Denix's out of the one's I bought up just before they introduced the VCRA act so I'm very curious as to how importing painted up replicas would work out.

Border Force Operations Manual
Customs Guidance Realistic Imitation Firearms
Border Force Operations Manual
Firearms - Realistic Imitation Firearms (RIFs)
Contents
1. Legislation
1.1 The Offence
2. What is a RIF
3. Import Defences
4. Defences applicable
5. Action to be taken
6. Restoration
7. Exports
1. Legislation
The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 (VCRA) Sections 36 – 40 introduced a
number of measures to control violent behaviour. These included new
controls on Realistic Imitation Firearms (“RIFs”) in response to widespread
concern about the continued use of such weapons in serious crime.
1.1 The Offence - Section 36(1)(d) of the VCRA makes it an offence
to import a realistic imitation firearm (RIF) into Great Britain or Northern
Ireland.
For the purposes of the Act “importation” means bringing RIFs into GB or NI.
This is in contrast to importation for the purposes of the Customs and Excise
Management Act 1979 (CEMA) (which means importation into the United
Kingdom). It follows that the Act treats movements from GB to NI and vice
versa as though they were importations. Such movements are not
importations for the purposes of CEMA. Consequently, where an officer
comes across an RIF which has been brought into GB from NI or vice versa,
the RIF is not liable to forfeiture under CEMA and any offence action under
section 36 etc. would be a matter solely for the police (who may be informed
of the discovery accordingly) depending on the individual circumstances.
Section 36(7) of the VCRA makes RIFs imported without a valid defence
liable to forfeiture under Section 49(1)(b) of CEMA.
Section 139(1) of CEMA states that anything liable to forfeiture under the
Customs and Excise Acts may be seized or detained…
Border Force Operations Manual
Customs Guidance Realistic Imitation Firearms
Border Force Operations Manual
2. What is a RIF
A realistic imitation firearm is defined as an imitation firearm which has an
appearance that is so realistic as to make it indistinguishable, for all practical
purposes from a real firearm. An imitation firearm is not to be regarded as
distinguishable from a real firearm for any practical purpose if it could only be
distinguished —
(a) by an expert;
(b) on a close examination; or
(c) as a result of an attempt to load or to fire it.
In determining whether an imitation firearm is distinguishable from a real
firearm—
(a) the matters that must be taken into account include any differences
between the size, shape and principal colour of the imitation firearm
and the size, shape and colour in which the real firearm is
manufactured; and
(b) the imitation is to be regarded as distinguishable if its size, shape or
principal colour is unrealistic for a real firearm.
The following are specifically deemed not to be realistic imitation firearms:
• realistic imitations of pre-1870 firearms;
• deactivated firearms
• antique imitations;
• any imitation firearm that is smaller than a height of 38 millimetres and
a length of 70 millimetres;
• any imitation firearm that is transparent or its predominant (more than
50%) colour is any one of the following:
bright red;
bright orange;
bright yellow;
bright green;
bright pink;
bright purple; or
bright blue.
3. Import Defences
The VCRA sets out a number of defences to prosecution which although do
not technically apply at the point of import it is UK Border Agency policy to
apply them to private individuals as if they did.
Border Force Operations Manual
Customs Guidance Realistic Imitation Firearms
Border Force Operations Manual
4. Defences applicable:
• the organisation and holding of permitted activities for which public
liability insurance is held in relation to liabilities to third parties arising
from or in connection with the organisation and holding of those
activities;
• the purposes of display at a "permitted event", which means a
commercial event at which realistic imitation firearms are offered for
sale or displayed, this relates to certain exhibition events and arms
fairs;
• the purposes of a museum or gallery;
• the purposes of theatrical performances or rehearsals;
• the production of films or television programmes;
• the organisation or holding of historical re-enactments;
• the purposes of functions that a person has in his capacity as a person
in the service of Her Majesty
• the conduct—
(a)was in the course of carrying on any trade or business; and
(b)was for the purpose of making the imitation firearm in
question available to be modified in a way which would result in
it ceasing to be a realistic imitation firearm.
“historical re-enactment” means any presentation or other event held for the
purpose of re-enacting an event from the past or of illustrating conduct from a
particular time or period in the past;
the purposes of organising or taking part in certain “permitted activities”
relates generally to “airsoft” events but can also include paintballing. Airsoft is
a growing modern combat sport that involves the use of realistic imitation
firearms in military type scenarios for recreational purposes. It involves
participants who eliminate opponents by hitting each other with spherical
airsoft pellets launched from airsoft guns. Participants typically employ the
use of varying types of weapons designed as replicas of real firearms, tactical
gear, and accessories used by modern military and police organizations
around the world.
“museum or gallery” includes any institution which—
(a) has as its purpose, or one of its purposes, the preservation,
display and interpretation of material of historical, artistic or
scientific interest; and
(b) gives the public access to it.
Border Force Operations Manual
Customs Guidance Realistic Imitation Firearms
Border Force Operations Manual
5. Action to be taken:
Where after consideration you regard the imitation firearm as borderline in
terms of the definition of realistic as set out above, then you should refer to
your local Firearms and Explosives Officer (FXO) or the policy owners who
will advise further.
6. Restoration
Restoration should only be offered where an importer can provide evidence
that they meet one of the defences listed. You should consider re-export if
requested at the importers expense if, logistically this can be arranged and
you believe the importer was not aware of the import controls.
Section 40 of the VCRA makes it an offence for a realistic imitation firearm to
be bought or sold to any person under the age of 18 and no defence can be
applied. Therefore, whether or not declared and where there is proof that a
person under the age of 18 purchased the realistic imitation firearm, it may be
seized under the terms of Section 19 of PACE as evidence of an offence and
police follow up action requested.
The RIF cannot be restored to any individual under the age of 18 as to do so
would be an offence.
7. Exports
The VCRA assigns no role to UK Border Agency (the Agency) in respect of
exports.
DECEMBER 2011

 

[KaanE]

So... according to 2.b and 4.b, I would be exempted for importing to the UK because it could be painted before shipping and also, it could be modified to look like a Sci-Fi blaster, right?

 

[Monster]

If its an imitation firearm (in this case, a post 1870 replica painted a designated bright colour) would be perfectly legal to import. For Imitation firearms as defined in Zoltar's post the only restrictions in the UK is they are to be sold to over 18's.

The 'sci-fi' blaster is TBH a bit of a murky grey area. Taking a Solo blaster for instance, if you stripped and repainted in black, you would technically be guilty of manufacturing a RIF.